Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace
by Mallikad
Summary: Season 1. What if Veronica and Logan decided to, well, not talk, but scream things out? Welcome to the aftermath.
1. The Showdown

Disclaimer: Veronica Mars and all it's characters and situations are property of Rob Thomas and UPN/The CW. I do not own anything and will not make any profit from this story.

A/N: I always feel weird about them never having properly talked things through. So this is my take. **Reviews are LoVe**.

A/N: **Voiceovers** are in **bold**. And the _huge part_ in _italics_, _down by_ _One Week Later_ is a _Flashback_.

Update 20/5/2008: I decided to make it a true, blue fiction, with multiple chapters, **BUT**, it'll take a loooong time for an update because I have finals coming up, and two other fics to maintain. And a teensy bit writer's block, maybe. xD

* * *

"Could you bring these files over to the Echolls'? Lynn needs to sign them." Keith asked his daughter. Veronica didn't really want to go over to the Echolls', "but," she reasoned, "it gives me a chance to ask Logan about the poker game." She would've preferred to do it on more neutral ground, not his house where he had the home court advantage. **Beggars can't be choosers**. "Sure, I'll do it." She told her dad, taking the files and heading for the door.

* * *

She entered the pool house confidently. "I'm looking for your mother." Logan looked up from his video game. "She needs to sign some papers."

"See, this is why I suggested attack dogs. But no, my mother wanted an alpaca." Veronica rolled her eyes. "Ha. Ha." She deadpanned. "Just tell me where she is."

"Probably somewhere inside, preparing for her annual Christmas Gala." Logan said with distaste. Veronica remembered from past experience how much he hated these things. Sensing the foul mood Logan was in, she decided to leave the Poker Game Investigation for a rainy day. She turned around to leave when she nearly tripped over a board game. Picking it up and placing it on the table, she noticed how messy the place was. "Spring cleaning?" She asked Logan. Guess she'd have to work the Poker Game angle after all. "Trying to get rid of the stench of money going to waste? Hey, I know the feeling." She said sarcastically.

Logan turned to face her, agitated. "What do you want?"

"To ask about the poker game. Your version of how things went."

"What is this? A case?" He smirked.

"I just thought you might want to know who stole your money." Veronica threw back.

Logan sighed, he explained to her how Weevil had bought himself in and how Connor's Pavlovian response to his ring tone was to head for the potty.

"I don't suppose you can help me meet him. Somehow I doubt he _doesn't _have people to keep girls like me away."

"Yeah, I don't get it." Logan said as he took out his cell phone, telling the man on the other side to let his 'friend' Veronica, with a v as in virgin, on set to see Connor.

"Look at you, all helpful." Veronica joked.

"Hey, your peskiness unleashed on Connor brings me joy."

Veronica shook her head, took the documents for Lynn, and headed for the door.

"Annoy tiny, blonde one. Annoy like the wind."

Veronica headed for the house in search of Lynn. She spotted her in the kitchen.

"Hey, Veronica!" Lynn greeted enthusiastically. She missed having Veronica around.

"Hi, Mrs. Echolls." Veronica replied. "My dad has some papers for you to sign." She handed over the envelope.

"Oh, honey, it's Lynn. You know that." She motioned for Veronica to sit down. "What do you want to drink?"

"Oh, I don't think-"

"Nonsense, Veronica, we need to catch up." **–that's the best idea.**

Veronica smiled awkwardly. "Okay." She sat down as Lynn handed her an Ice Tea.

"Don't think I don't remember what you're favourite drink is." She said with a warm smile. Suddenly there was a small crash from the living room and Lynn left to do damage control, leaving Veronica all alone, with nothing but memories of better times in this kitchen to occupy her. As soon as Lynn was out of the door Logan entered. **Talk about bad timing.**

"Why are you still here?" He asked her rudely.

"Your mother asked me to stay." She replied before taking another sip from her drink. "Look, I don't want me to be here either, but your mom wouldn't take no for an answer."

Logan sat opposite her, to her left. He kept on staring at her, as if he was studying her. Veronica started growing uncomfortable and agitated. Before, she might've run away, but not now. Now, she was stronger than that.

"What are you looking at?" She asked him rudely. If he could be rude to her, she damn well could be rude to him.

"Just noticing how much you've changed." He replied cockily, taking a sip of his Coke. Veronica didn't let herself get riled by him. "Well, we know who to thank for that." She looked at him pointedly and raised her glass in a faux toast. But that was only partly the truth. While Logan was to blame for her hard outer shell, the real change had come after Shelly Pomeroy's party, where Veronica had been raped. But Logan needn't know that.

"Me?" Logan asked, pretending to be shocked. "Whatever did I do?" He smirked at her.

"Insult me, stab me in the back, spread rumours about me, pull juvenile pranks on me." Veronica ticked them off on her fingers. "You know, for someone who claims he hates backstabbers and says I stabbed him in the back, and then punished me for it, you're being a huge hypocrite."

"Me?" Logan repeated himself, only this time he was dead serious. "_I_'m the hypocrite?"

Veronica nodded.

"You turned against all your friends."

"The two people left I considered my true friends were you and Duncan and I _never_ turned on you guys. You turned on me."

"That's rich. _I_ turned on you?"

"A real friend wouldn't have made me choose between my two families. Because that's what you guys were to me, my second family." Despite her promise to herself, Veronica was getting riled up. "A real friend wouldn't have made me the pariah of the school, started rumours about me, slashed my tyres. A _real_ friend wouldn't have punished _me_ for my _father's_ actions."

"Your father was destroying a family that was already broken." Logan yelled.

"All I wanted, all _we _wanted was justice. Lilly was my best friend, practically my sister, and all I wanted was to send her killer behind bars, and all _you_ did was kick me when I was down."

"Your dad was barking up the wrong tree."

"So why did you make _me_ pay? You never once asked me what I thought. Just because he was my father doesn't mean _I_ shared his views. I trusted him to do what he thought was right, but I never thought Jake killed Lilly." Veronica could tell she was close to crying. Lilly was still a sore subject, one that easily made her cry.

"I had to go through the hardest period of my life _alone_. The only other two people who knew Lilly the way I did were too busy ignoring me or calling me a slut." Veronica felt the tears and knew it was too late. She didn't care that this was Logan Echolls and she was crying in front of him, letting down every wall she had built up since Lilly's death.

"So what if my dad was barking up the wrong tree? Do you think I cared about that the day of Lilly's funeral, when I had to watch my _best friend_ being _buried_ from behind a bunch of trees because I was afraid I might be thrown out? I had _no one_ there for me. My dad was working, my mom had abandoned me, and the one true friend I had left, _you_, dumped me, turned on me when I needed you the most. So _don't_ call _me_ a back stabber." Veronica wanted to go outside to her car, she needed air, needed to get away from here. She only made it to the hallway because Logan stopped her. "Veronica, wait!" Her revelation about the funeral pissed him off. She should've been at the funeral, she deserved to have been there.

"What do you care? You know, I'm glad I chose my dad, he's the only person, besides Lilly, who's ever really cared about me."

"You think Duncan and I didn't care?"

"Oh, I _know_ you guys didn't, and don't care."

"Lie. We did care. We _do_ care."

Veronica let out a sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, right. You did care. That I _might_ just believe, but you do care? Please Logan, if you do care, you have a weird way of showing it."

"Why do you think I insult you, huh? If I didn't care I wouldn't bother, I'd just ignore you. But if I stayed in your face, I'd always know where you were. I was always there, I knew all the pranks. If something got out of control, I could do something about it, I could stop it."

Veronica looked at him disbelievingly. **How naïve does he think I am?**

"I always made sure _I_ was there so I could make sure you were okay."

This did it for Veronica. She snapped.

"Okay? Okay?!" She approached him with a glare in her eyes that made Logan the teensiest bit scared.

"You thought I was okay?" She began yelling at him. Logan was taken aback. The only other time she had yelled at him like this was when they'd been thirteen and he had taken his dad's car for a spin and Veronica was the only one who had found out. God, she had been furious. He could remember her yelling about being irresponsible, and that he could have died, and that he was selfish, not thinking about his friends, about her. But that was still nothing compared to this.

"I was alone, scared, betrayed, and you thought I was okay?!" She resisted the urge to hit him.

"Because everything was okay when I watched my best friend lowered into the ground from behind a bunch of trees, and everything was okay when I woke up one morning in a strange bed with no underwear on!" Logan's expression froze. Veronica realized what she'd let slip but continued with her rant. **Maybe he'll forget**.

"And everything was okay when you, the last person I could count on, stabbed me in the back, pushed me to the ground and kicked me when I was down! And everything is okay when I wake up every morning thanking God I still have my dad, and Wallace and Mac, but wishing I still had Lilly, you, and my mom! You know what someone wrote on my car after Shelly's party? It should have been her, Abel. And sometimes I wish it was, because really... All this is not worth it." Her mind was yelling for her to get out, get away from Logan. She made to leave but Logan wouldn't let her.

"You don't mean that." He said calmly.

"Mean what?" Veronica replied coldly.

"Wishing you were dead."

Veronica was silent. She wanted to get to her car but Logan wouldn't let her.

"Who was it?"

She stayed silent.

"Who raped you?"

Veronica winced at the forwardness of his question. She tried again to move past him. "Let me through."

"No."

"Logan, get out of the way."

"No."

She tried to move but he wouldn't let her and kept blocking her way. She started shoving him but he was too strong.

"Let me go."

"No."

"Let me go! _Let me go_!" She was half screaming, half crying and hitting his chest. Logan took it all in his stride. She slumped to the floor, crying, and Logan knelt down with her, hugging her the entire time. He felt like this was the most honest conversation he had had with Veronica in over a year, and he knew she hadn't changed that much at all. She was still the girl he'd fallen in love with when he'd first seen her on the soccer field five years ago. And deep down he was still the guy who was in love with her but didn't have the guts to do anything about it.

Lynn entered the hallway, clearly she had been searching for Veronica, she ran for her, concerned, but Logan stopped her to show he had it under control and that Veronica just needed space.

* * *

A week later, Logan knocked on the door to Veronica's apartment. She thought he didn't know anything about her now, or that he didn't care. But he knew where she lived.

_After Lynn had left, Logan tried to get Veronica to stand up._

"_Hey, Veronica. I need you to stand up, okay? Come on." But she wrestled against his grip. He sighed. "Veronica, I'm just gonna let you lie down, okay?"_

"_No." _

"_Ronnie..." He tried again. In the end he just picked her up and took her to his room where he told her to rest until she felt better. He got her a glass of water and gave her her space. "I'm downstairs if you need anything." He told her. "Or me." He added softly. He closed the door._

_An hour later he found his bed empty and her car gone._

Logan heard Veronica approach the door. "What no bark? Is it your day off?" She should've looked to see who was at the door first, but she didn't. **Stupid, stupid, Veronica.**

She didn't say anything. She thought she could avoid Logan until the whole thing blew over. But Logan had to ruin that by knowing her address. **How does he even know that?**

"Hey." Logan greeted.

"Hey." Veronica replied.

"Can I come in?"

Veronica opened up the door some more and he stepped in. She motioned to the couch.

"So, what's up?" She asked him, as though she had no idea.

"I know you've been avoiding me, Veronica. Don't deny it. I know you."

She was about to argue but he stopped her.

"I'm not here to fight. I just wanted to talk to you about some of the things you said last week."

This was what Veronica had been dreading. Now the rape issue would come up again.

"You said a lot of things that disturbed me, and hurt me. But I guess the three things I can't go on knowing without talking to you about them are Lilly's funeral, that message on your car, and... the rape." He finished softly.

Veronica really didn't want to have this conversation, but she couldn't see a way out of it. She'd just dodge the rape part for as long as she could. "Okay." She replied slowly. Logan was surprised, he had expected to have to convince her for at least an hour.

"Did you really think you'd get thrown out of Lilly's funeral?"

"It was the day after you gave me the ultimatum and I told you I would then stick by my dad. I didn't want to cause a scene. Lilly deserved better than that."

"She would have loved a scene." Logan said.

"Yeah." Veronica smiled.

"But still, you deserved to be there."

Veronica shrugged. "Guess it didn't feel like that to me."

Logan nodded, he knew it was his fault.

"And your car? Do you know who wrote that?"

Veronica shook her head. "Nope."

"Did you really mean it last week when you said you wished you had been killed?"

Veronica shrugged. "I don't know anything these days. I'm not sure what's right or wrong. Who are friends and who are enemies."

Logan nodded.

"I guess, what I meant was, I miss before. And I miss Lilly, and you, and my mom, and maybe even a teensy bit Duncan."

"I miss you too, and Lilly."

Veronica was silent before asking the question that she most wanted to ask Logan for about a year.

"Why did you do it?"

Logan sighed. He should've seen it coming.

"As much as I keep saying it was for Jake, Duncan and Celeste and your dad was tearing them apart... I directed my grief to the easiest target. You were the kindest, sweetest person, Veronica, and the fact that your dad accused Jake just made it easier for me to direct my anger to you. Plus, I guess I blamed you a bit."

"Me?" Veronica asked in surprise.

"Yeah.. If you hadn't told Lilly about Yolanda and the kiss, I would've been with her that day, and she wouldn't have been killed."

"Yeah, or you might've both been killed."

"But, I know you're not to blame, I always knew, it was just easier, less painful, to pretend that you were. I know that if I had seen you cheating on Duncan I would've told him too. All you did was be a good friend. And I can't hate you for that."

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Hate me. Do you hate me?"

Logan replied immediately.

"_No_. I never really did. I made a stupid mistake, asking you to choose, and I was too much of a stubborn, angry, grieving jackass, who wouldn't let go of his pride to admit it."

"You have been known to have jackass-esque qualities from time to time." Veronica joked. Logan smiled. "Yeah... I know."

"Do _you_ hate me?" He asked Veronica.

"You'd think, that after a year of torment I would. But, honestly, no."

Logan smiled to himself. "I'm sorry." He said softly.

"I'm sorry too." Veronica replied. "And…" She took a deep breath. "I forgive you."

Logan was taken aback. Not because she had forgiven him so quickly, though that too caught him off guard, but because she had apologized to him.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for." He told her.

"Yes, I do." Veronica said solemnly. "I did indeed put that bong in your locker." She gave him a mischievous grin.

Logan grinned. "Yeah, but I smashed your headlights in with a crowbar. So we're even on that one. You don't have to apologize for anything."

"If you say so, but it still felt right doing it. If we're gonna try and be friends again, we gotta do it right."

Logan smiled.

"You want to be my friend again after the past year?"

"Yeah," Veronica said with a smile, "I do. There was a time when you were my best friend after Lilly. And I'd like to try and get that back."

"Me too." He replied. "So friends?"

"Friends." Veronica replied. She wouldn't tell anyone, but since she'd been twelve, she'd had the biggest crush on Logan. But at the time, it hadn't seemed right because Lilly liked Logan. **But who knows now.**

"You know Neptune's gonna implode once they hear about this development." She told him.

"That's us. Veronica Mars and Logan Echolls. Causing destruction wherever we go." Veronica swatted him on the arm playfully and let out an elated laugh.

Logan grinned and pretended to be hurt by her punch.

Now all that was left was to get Veronica to open up about her rape. He decided not to push his luck for the day, but to try and win her trust back first. And maybe, in time, he'd get her love back too. Who knew.

* * *

**Please, please, please review. I LoVe reading them. If not for me, for Logan and Veronica. xD**


	2. The New Era

**Disclaimer**: Veronica Mars and all it's characters and situations are property of Rob Thomas and UPN/The CW. I do not own anything and will not make any profit from this story.

**A/N**: **Voiceovers** are in **bold**.

**A/N**: Sorry, sorry, sorry it took so long, but I warned you all. I'm also working on Crash Into You and Just Like This. Basically what I'm going to do is season one but my way, so starting from my last chapter things will go AU but still kind of follow season one. You'll see what I mean as the story progresses.

**A/N**: Shouting someone lunch equals buying them lunch.

**A/N**: Some of the dialogue is from the show itself, some I just remember because I watched those scenes 50 times, like the 'come on guys...' scene, other dialogue I got from Twiztv dot com. (dot equals .)

* * *

"Hey, honey." Keith greeted his daughter as he walked through the door.

"Hey." Veronica replied. "How was your day?"

"Oh, cheating spouses, gold-digging wives, same old, same old."

Veronica nodded. "So, euhm, honey, I saw Logan leaving when I drove in... Anything I need to know? Did Lynn ask him to come?"

Veronica wasn't sure she should tell her dad the truth. He had always liked Logan, until he turned against Veronica.

Veronica had been facing the counter the whole time, chopping up the vegetables. She didn't know what to tell her dad. She decided the truth was the way to go and turned to face her dad.

"Euhm, Logan and I... talked."

"Really?"

"Yeah..." Veronica trailed off.

"And?" Keith prompted her.

"We talked things out."

"Just like that?" Keith asked. He found it hard to believe that Logan would just decide to come to their place and talk things out.

"Just like that." Veronica replied. She didn't want to go into the whole fight they had had a week ago. Sensing his daughter didn't want to talk about it right now he decided to give her his two cents and then butt out.

"Well, sweetie, you know I liked Logan, but... Just be careful."

"I will dad."

"Remind him I have a license to use my gun."

Veronica laughed. "I don't see how mentioning that at the beginning of our friendship- rekindled friendship- whatever we are, will help, but I'll put it out there."

"Okay. I just worry you know. The moment you were born I knew I'd never breathe easy as long as I didn't know where you were and that you were safe."

"So I'm like asthma?" Veronica replied as she turned back to her vegetables and continued chopping.

Keith laughed. "What are you cooking oh dear daughter of mine?"

"This is surprise chilli."

"What's the surprise?"

"Aha! If I knew it myself I'd tell you."

* * *

The next day Veronica saw Logan in the parking lot. She didn't acknowledge him, unsure of what they were and what it meant. Were they just being civil to one another? Were they ex-friends trying to be friends again? Were they just friends?

"Hey, Veronica! Wait up!" Logan called after her. He didn't know why she was ignoring him. He thought they were okay now. Well, maybe not okay, but getting there. He ran to her car before she could make a getaway.

"Oh, hey, Logan." Veronica said. It felt weird, almost surreal to not be sniping and exchanging snarky remarks with Logan. She felt sad about that. There was a time when talking to Logan didn't mean trading insults. It meant talking about their problems, it meant exchanging banter. And it didn't feel surreal.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked her.

"What? No. Why would I be mad?"

"Because you just ignored me." Logan pointed out.

Veronica looked away. "I'm just not sure what we are and what it means, Logan." She looked back at him. "I mean, are we friends? Trying to be friends? Do we just act civil or do we talk at school?"

"Veronica-"

Logan was rudely cut off by Dick. "Uh-oh. Someone's got her eye on that Miss White Trash title." He was clearly talking about Veronica, unaware of her reconciliation with Logan. Veronica rolled her eyes. Logan was about to say something when Beaver continued.

"Yeah, you know you got a solid effort in the talent competition but I'd like to see that car up on some cinder blocks."

"Guys, come on-" Logan started but Veronica took over. "I know, guys come on, the talent is making a grilled cheese sandwich on the engine block." She took her books from the passenger seat of her car. "Guys, come on, you can't put you car up on blocks in the yard, if you don't have a yard." She slammed her car door and stood in front of Dick and Beaver.

"You know, I think I can do both sides of this little act now, so how about next time, you don't bother, I got it covered." She gave them an overly peppy wave and walked off. Logan couldn't help grin at the look on Dick and Beaver's faces before he walked off behind her telling the guys he'd see them later.

He caught up with Veronica at her locker. "So, Veronica..."

"Logan, it's okay. I get it." Veronica said, keeping her focus on the books she needed.

"You get what?" He asked confusedly.

"That you don't want _them_ to know."

"What? You think-" He was cut off by the bell.

"Look, I've gotta go." Veronica said, slamming her locker shut. She walked away hurriedly.

"Always running. Guess Veronica Mars hasn't changed that much." He muttered under his breath.

* * *

Logan wandered into the quad in search of Veronica. He spotted her at her usual table. He was glad that her friend wasn't there. That would only make this that much harder and complicated. He needed to talk to her, to let her know that he wasn't ashamed of her. He was well aware that the 09'ers were watching him when he moved past their table. Logan always sat with them. He plopped down at her table. She looked up. "Logan, what are you doing here?"

"Talking to a friend." He replied.

"You're sitting at _my_ table?" She asked, incredulously. She would've thought they'd talk after school, in the privacy of a sound proofed room.

"And what a fine table it is." Logan replied. He tapped twice on the top. "What do you think this is? Oak?"

Veronica smiled at his antics. "Okay, what do you want?" She asked.

"Nothing, can't a guy just enjoy a meal with his friend?" He asked.

"Well, usually you sit with your 09er buddies, so..." She trailed off. Logan turned around and saw them all staring at him and Veronica. "Yeah, well. Maybe today I'd rather sit with you."

"So, this is okay? I can talk to you in school?" Veronica asked. Logan was taken aback. "Why would you _not_ be allowed to talk to me at school?" He asked.

"I don't know. I don't know what the protocol is here. I don't know what your definition is of our whatever-we-are. And I really don't want to discuss it while all your delightful friends are giving me the evil eye and looking at me like I'm the plague."

Logan turned around and saw the 09'ers pretend to chat animatedly amongst themselves.

"Okay, how about we discuss this somewhere more private? I know for a fact that the only two people who ever used to meet under the bleachers haven't done so in over a year. We could talk there." Veronica was a little shocked at the fact that Logan remembered that. "You remember that? How do you even remember that?"

"Just because we had our... differences this past year doesn't mean I erased everything." Logan replied, suddenly feeling a bit shy and exposed. Veronica nodded. "Okay." They both stood up and grabbed their things and rounded the corner of the quad just as Duncan walked in from the school building. He saw them laughing about something and rounding the corner.

"Was that _Logan_ with _Veronica_?" He asked Dick as he took a seat next to him. Dick nodded. "Yeah, he just went to sit with her. And at first I was like, dude, what the hell? Then I thought maybe it was a joke for a new reality show called like, my skank. But he's being nice to her. Don't see why though."

Duncan shut Dick out and stared at the spot where thirty seconds ago Logan and Veronica had rounded the corner.

* * *

"Okay, so what do you want to talk about that is so important it calls for the secret Logan-Veronica place?" Logan asked Veronica.

"Us." She said simply taking a seat on the grass. She couldn't help thinking how much she wished the 'us' to be in a deeper sense. But there was no way to even contemplate thinking about that _now_. Not at this stage of their relationship and everything they'd been through the past year. Logan sat down next to her.

"What about us?"

"What are we? What are we doing? Don't tell me I'm the only one who finds this weird." She said gesturing between the two of them.

"Well," Logan said, "I'd like to think we're friends, or at least giving our friendship another chance. And no, you're not the only one who finds it weird. Which is kinda' sad actually. We used to be friends, it's not right that we find it weird to be friends."

"I know. My dad was worried when I told him. He told me to remind you he has a license to use a gun." She let out a small laugh. Logan grinned sarcastically. "Gee, thanks, Veronica. Now I feel so much better." She laughed at his face that had paled just a teensy bit.

"Don't worry, I won't let him shoot you." She said, patting him on the shoulder.

Silence reigned as Veronica tried to find the words to voice their newfound friendship. "So, talking to you at school is okay?" She asked Logan.

Logan turned to her. "Veronica, we're friends, let's just treat each other as we would treat each other before." Veronica nodded. "Only, let's take it slow." She added. Logan agreed. "Shit." They both cursed when the second bell rang and they realised they were late for their classes.

* * *

Veronica was sitting at the island in the kitchen, eating her cereal when her dad walked in with the morning paper.

"Good morning." Veronica greeted him with a smile. Keith didn't hear her and continued staring at the front page intently.

"Or not." Veronica muttered.

Keith looked up at her. "You don't go to the oceanside bars that the college kids hang out at, do you?"

"I prefer the biker bar by the train station. I get more attention there." She joked. Keith just looked at her with a serious expression on his face.

"I'm kidding. Why would you ask me that?" Veronica asked, studying her dad's face carefully. Keith held up the newspaper. "E-String Strangler? Wait, wasn't this _your_ case? I thought they caught the guy in Oakland two years ago."

"Well, apparently they didn't. I knew it didn't fit." Keith said, concern etched in his voice. Veronica looked at her dad nervously. "And to top it off, the mayor wants me to work on the case with Lamb." Veronica nearly spit out her cereal.

"You're working with _Lamb_ again?"

"Yeah, but it's only temporary." Keith assured her. "Oh." Veronica's hope was quickly shot to pieces. She really had hoped for her dad that he might become a permanent fixture at the Sheriff's Department again. The fear and nervousness she had felt earlier, returned, with her dad working all hours she would be home alone. **This is exactly how people die in the movies**. "Well, I'm off, honey. Be careful. Stick with Wallace. And if you must, stick with Logan." Veronica smiled at her dad. At least he was trying. "Thanks for giving him a chance, dad." "Yeah, yeah..." Keith left and Veronica could hear him saying something about licences and guns.

* * *

**Okay, so dad working at the station might not be ideal for when he pulls all-nighters and I'm stuck at home alone, albeit with a dog, but it is ideal if you want to get your hands on the Crime Stoppers Hotline recording from the Lilly Kane Murder Case. Unfortunately, when I suggested this to dad when I called him during free period he didn't seem very impressed and told me to 'not even go there'. Oh, well. A girl's gotta improvise. What's that saying? When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. Well, I for one intend to squeeze this lemon dry.**

"Hey." Logan said as he sat down at her table during lunch time, pulling her out of her thoughts. He hadn't been sure what to do, but when he saw that that Wallace guy was sitting with his jock friends he decided to sit at Veronica's table. After their conversation the day before he figured it would be okay.

"Hey, Logan." Veronica replied. She tried her best not to look too incriminating. Logan didn't know she was investigating the Lilly Kane case and if it were up to her, it would stay that way. "So, I figured after our talk yesterday, it would be okay to sit here today." He continued nonchalantly as if discussing the weather. Veronica nodded. "Yeah, it's fine. Wallace is off with his basketball buddies anyways."

"Don't you ever get lonely?" Logan asked. "After a year I'm used to it." Veronica said casually. Logan felt guilty. He knew he was to blame for that. Sensing his guilt, Veronica smiled at him, letting him know it was okay.

"So, what were you thinking about before you became overpowered by my good looks?" Logan asked jokingly.

"So witty, so terribly witty." Veronica deadpanned. Logan grinned.

"Actually," She said as she saw the pizza boy come over to their table to bring Logan's order, "I was thinking that you shouting me lunch would be a great way to start our newfound friendship." Veronica said as she shoved her lunch tray to the side and took a slice of pizza while Logan was paying.

"Yes, Veronica, by all means, take a slice." He said sarcastically. Veronica grinned at him. "Did I ever tell you that my dad aims like a pro?" She said casually. He shoved the pizza closer to her. "Veronica, by all means, take a slice." He said in an over the top friendly voice. She laughed at his antics, silently very, very glad at having him back as her friend.

Logan watched Veronica laugh and couldn't imagine this was the girl that had completely broken down a week and a half ago. He felt guilty knowing he had caused her to put up the walls. Well, him and whoever had raped her. He could feel his blood start to boil again at the thought of anyone hurting Veronica like that. At the same time, he felt a sense of pride for the little blonde one. She had managed to overcome something so big, here she was, smiling, laughing, joking around. He really wanted to question her about that night, track down whoever did this to her and beat him up, but he knew that there was no way in hell Veronica would open up and even if she did it was doubtful she'd let him go after the guy. "She'd probably go after him herself." Logan thought, a grin spreading at the thought of tiny Veronica scaring the shit out of some 6 foot guy.

* * *

Veronica was at her locker quickly shoving books in her bag. She wanted to get some of her homework for next week already done but she really wanted the hotline recording, which meant that she had to stop by the deli, get a pastrami sandwich for her dad and head to the station before heading home.

"Hey, Veronica." Veronica froze for two seconds before turning around slowly with a fake grin plastered on her face. "Hey, Duncan." She said.

"So, what's up?" He asked her. **He dumped me unceremoniously, ignored me for a year, let people taunt me, and now he's acting friendly, hello parallel universe. **

"Euhm, nothing." She said as she hastily shoved the last book in her bag before slamming her locker and walking towards the doors. "Bye." She said before making a run for it, though not literally.

"Veronica, wait!" Duncan called, going after her. "What's the matter?"

"What do you mean, what's the matter?"

"Why are you ignoring me?"

"Euhm, isn't it like a rule around here? I hate the 09'ers and they hate me?"

"Yeah, but we're cool right?" Duncan said.

Veronica blinked a couple of times, taken aback. Was he really _that_ naïve? "What do you mean, we're cool? Duncan, in what universe do you live?"

"Oh, come on, Veronica. That's water under the bridge."

Veronica looked at him incredulously. "Water under the-? _Water under the bridge_? Duncan, I can't just forgive you for the past year and even before that."

Duncan looked like he was about to get real pissed. "You forgave Logan." Suddenly Veronica realised what this was all about.

"Duncan, first of all, me not liking you started before the whole me not liking Logan thing."

"What are you talking about?" He asked her loudly.

"Euhm, you dumped me just like that. No call, no text, no note in my locker. Just cold silence."

"What Logan did this past year was worse." He argued.

"Logan has apologised, we've both apologised and have talked things through."

"Okay, then I apologise."

Veronica shook her head. "Duncan, Logan and I happened by accident actually, we didn't just wake up one morning and decide to be friends again, it took a huge fight to do that. And I can't _just_ forgive you."

"But I didn't do anything!" He protested.

"Exactly! You _let_ them hurt me. And you dumped me like I was nothing more than a fling."

"You know it wasn't like that."

"Sorry, Duncan, I just- I can't just forgive you." She turned around and headed for the door.

"But you _just_ forgave Logan!" He tried again, calling after her, emphasising the 'just'.

Veronica spun around on her heel. "It was an accident!" She yelled back at him. "Not that I'm not happy or anything, it's great having Logan as a friend again-"

"I always knew you liked him."

"What!?" This was a first for Veronica.

"You and Logan, I knew he liked you and I knew you liked him." There were a thousand angry retorts of denial running through Veronica's head, instead she chose the one that would hurt him the most. It was childish and stupid and juvenile, and probably the only one that had any truth to it, from her side at any rate, but she did it anyway.

"And you were right." She said coldly, leaving him standing alone in the hallway, his mouth hanging open.

She reached her car and took a few deep breaths before putting her key in the ignition, to no avail it seemed. Her car wouldn't start. "Fan-freaking-tastic." She muttered. Wallace had practice and she didn't have the patience to wait for him. She got out of her car, contemplating her options. **I could walk home. Or call Weevil.** She scanned the parking lot one more time. **Weevil it is.**

She was about to dial Weevil's number when she heard a honk from behind. Turning around she saw the monstrosity Logan called a car coming closer. "Car trouble, miss Mars?" He asked. "Yep, seems the old rust bucket has finally given into temptation." She replied with a grin. "I see that Big Bird over here is still holding up." She motioned to Logan's Xterra.

"You know, act a little nicer and I just might give you a ride home."

"And what a beautiful Xterra it is." Veronica said, stroking the hood. Logan chuckled. "Get in." He said. Veronica quickly ran to the other side of the car and hopped into the passenger seat.

"Thanks." She said. "No problem." Logan replied easily.

"Oh, but I need you to take me to the Sheriff's Station." She quickly said when she saw Logan about to turn on the blinker signalling he was going to turn to the right. She figured she could find a way to get in without the sandwich.

"Sheriff's Station? What did you do this time?" He asked her.

"I didn't do anything." Veronica protested indignantly. "I was going to bring a sandwich to my dad because he's working, but since my car conked out, I guess I'll just head over there and head home with him." She lied easily.

"Sandwich, you say?" Logan whispered as if plotting an evil plan. Veronica grinned. "Yeah, but it's okay, just drop me there." Logan swerved and headed for Dog Beach.

"Logan, what the hell are you doing?" Veronica half yelled at him.

"I'm taking you to Eat O'Clock so you can get your dad a sandwich. After which I shall take you to the Sheriff's Station and then take you home. Now, why don't you call someone about your car." He said as he kept his eyes on the road, avoiding Veronica's face.

She smiled at him as she took out her phone and started dialling Weevil.

**Now **_**this**_** is the Logan I remember from before.**

* * *

Veronica and Logan walked into the station with the sandwich. Veronica peered into the interrogation room where Keith was. She saw a suspect say something after which Keith turned around. She pointed to the sandwich and walked away. She walked into the reception area and saw someone sitting at a desk. Logan was sitting on one of the benches to the left side, near Inga's desk.

"Can I help you?" The guy asked her. She had assumed he was a deputy, and that question told her he was a newbie too.  
"You must be new. I'm Keith Mars' daughter, Veronica."  
"Ah, Leo." He replied with a smile.

Veronica looked at him confusedly. "Did you just tell me your sign?" She asked him.  
Leo smiled broadly at her. "My name, actually, though I am coincidentally enough a Leo."

Veronica nodded. "Well, I'm just bringing some food for my dad."

"Ah, well, you can put it on his desk if you want, unless it's gonna go bad or something, then we have a mini-fridge, I could put it in there."

"I might just take you up on that 'cause there's coleslaw." Veronica said with a smile. If she flirted just a tad more Leo might just be her way into getting that Crime Stoppers recording.  
"No problem." Leo said with a smile as he took the bag and went to put it away.

Veronica quickly went behind his desk, looking for a spare set of keys, she ran her fingers across each surface and quickly peeped in the drawers. **Damn, nothing.** She moved back in front of Leo's desk when she heard him coming back.

"Word of caution." Leo said as he returned. "You probably shouldn't trust me."

Veronica blinked at him." Why's that?" She asked.

"Every night at nine everyone goes out for dinner leaving the newbie to answer the phones, a pastrami sandwich might be very tempting."

Veronica put her hands on her hips. "You looked in the bag." She said accusingly.

"What can I say? I'm evil." Leo flirted back.

"No sandwich is safe." Veronica deadpanned.

"Tell you what. If you promise to come back and visit me, I will stay out of the fridge."

"Deal." Veronica said with a smug smile, she said her goodbyes and left to get Logan.

**Oh my, Deputy Leo. You might as well leave me a key and a map. Looks like I've found my lemon.**

* * *

**Okay, I know I have a thing for Veronica-Duncan confrontations in hallways while Veronica is shoving books in her bag from her locker, but they're just so ideal for huge fights. xD**

**This is a shameless plug for reviews.**

* * *


	3. The Announcement

**Disclaimer:** Veronica Mars and all its characters and situations are property of Rob Thomas and UPN/The CW. I do not own anything and will not make any profit from this story.

* * *

I know Author's Notes suck, trust me, I do.

But **I am a Senior** now, and **Math** is my weakest subject, which isn't good if you're doing **6 hours a week**, plus getting loads of extra homework too.

So, I am just posting this note to let you all know that **updates are gonna be slow**. Especially on Just Like This and Echoes, Silence, Patience And Grace.

Right now I am more focused on Crash Into You, but I promise to write and update as soon as possible. And **as you guys read this, I am working on JLT and ESPaG**.

So, once again, sorry for getting your hopes up on this being a new chapter, and **sorry** for not being able to update faster.

I hope this does not discourage you from continuing to **read and review** my stories.

I **love** all **you guys so much**, seriously, whenever I get a review and check my stats, I am smiling like a fool and full of inspiration to write. Sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. xD

Anyways, hope you still enjoy my stories. Please remember that **concrit is always welcome**.

LoVe,

Mallikahd


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